


Tales of Purgatory: Wynonna and Nicole

by beaglesinbowties (Girlblunder)



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comedy, Drama, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2018-07-15 06:04:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7210901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girlblunder/pseuds/beaglesinbowties
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr ficlet collection for Wynonna/Nicole, colloquially deemed "Wynaught."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for my June fluffy ficlet day.

* * *

Nicole grunts as she settles into the cab of the truck, trying to shut the door as quietly as possible. She’s dressed down in civilian clothes to try and blend in, but the truck door is definitely not as subtle.

“You wanna make a little more noise there, Nicole? I don’t think the revenants in the back heard ya,” Wynonna quips as she lowers her binoculars.

“Shut up, Earp. If you took better care of your truck, maybe the door wouldn’t be so loud.” Nicole is distracted as she hefts a brown paper bag and begins checking through its contents.

Wynonna, who’s been pantomiming Nicole in a rather mature fashion, stops when she smells food. “What’d you get me?”

“You?” Nicole glances up with a raised eyebrow. “Nothing.”

“Oh come on, isn’t like the first rule of stakeouts share and share alike?” Wynonna grins and nods to emphasize her point.

Nicole snorts and shakes her head as she selects something from the bag. The long cylindrical object is carefully unwrapped to reveal a thick burrito. She hums to herself as she takes the first bite.

It tastes even better with Wynonna scowling over at her, she decides.

Wynonna grumbles under her breath and looks away. “What’s that?” she exclaims suddenly as she points off to the right with wide eyes.

Nicole continues eating her burrito placidly, confirming with a quick glance that there’s nothing there. “You know just because you managed to steal the last sprinkly donut with that once, it doesn’t mean it’ll work every time,” she says around a full mouth.

“I hate cops,” Wynonna mutters as she crosses her arms and begins to sulk. Nicole has to suppress a grin; Wynonna tends to be equal parts charming and annoying, but she’ll never say that out loud.

The burrito is halfway gone before Nicole reaches into the bag again to retrieve another wrapped burrito that she promptly drops into Wynonna’s lap. “Stop eating all the damn sprinkly donuts.”

Wynonna, distracted by the sudden bounty, only chuckles gleefully. “I make no promises.” She groans happily as she takes the first bite. “I of urritosh.”

Nicole shakes her head again, but she’s smiling. The truck falls silent again as they eat.

After a while Wynonna begins to chuckle to herself. Nicole finishes her last bite and swallows before her curiosity wins out.

“What are you laughing about?” She retrieves a napkin and wipes her mouth as she waits for an answer.

“Well, it’s,” the arm that’s holding up Wynonna’s burrito drops, “just pretty funny. This reminds me of about half of the  _dates_  I had back in high school. The only difference is there was usually more sex.”

Nicole coughs forcefully into her fist and looks away, glad that she’d finished eating before Wynonna had shared that little nugget of information. “And I’m a woman,” Nicole manages in a tight voice.

A sly grin grows on Wynonna’s face. She looks at Nicole and wiggles her eyebrows.

“What? No way, here in Purgatory?” Nicole knows her voice is high, but she can’t help it.

Wynonna is grinning and nodding. “Purgatory’s a pretty boring town. I’m not the only one who liked to experiment.”

“Huh.” Nicole leans back into the bench seat thoughtfully. Not too long ago she might have asked if Waverly had ever been the type to experiment, but after a couple of weeks Nicole’s crush had waned. She’d had one too messy run-ins with straight girls to put herself out there for someone who clearly couldn’t make up their mind.

Nicole had picked Purgatory to get as far away from the last _straight_  woman she’d made the mistake of falling for, after all. She does her best not to scowl. How Amber could think she was straight after the things they’d done together, Nicole will never understand.

“If you like, I could give you some names,” Wynonna says, breaking Nicole from her thoughts.

“Yeah?” Nicole considers the offer for a moment.

“Sure. You just have to buy me dinner again,” Wynonna adds with a wide smile.

“I have to buy you dinner for a name,” Nicole says in a flat voice.

Wynonna nods, her eyes widening after a moment. “Oo, yeah. You get a name for every meal you give me. I’m easy, takeout will work.”

Nicole’s lips twitch. “So food and conversation - are you sure _you’re_  not trying to ask me out on some dates?”

Pink flushes Wynonna’s cheeks, though she straightens and clears her throat. “What? No. Don’t make this weird, Nic. We’d just be two ladies, eating dinner and… _shit_.”

She scowls over at Nicole and punches her on the arm. “Well now you’ve made this weird.”

“Me? You’re the one who–”

“Ah-dah-dah-dah, nope.” Wynonna holds up a hand and makes a serious face.

Nicole struggles not to laugh. She looks away to hide her smile. “So does that mean the deal’s off?” She glances back to Wynonna with a raised eyebrow when she’s sure her mirth is under control.

Wynonna’s mouth opens and closes a few times. She coughs and stares at her burrito. “I didn’t say that,” she mumbles with still-pink cheeks.

“So then, tomorrow, say seven?” Nicole watches avidly as Wynonna takes a big bite and chews furiously.

“Sure,” Wynonna says after swallowing.

Nicole’s eyes glint mischievously. “It’s a d–” 

Wynonna glares at her.

Nicole grins. “ _Deal_. I was going to say deal.”

Wynonna nods and goes back to her burrito. Nicole takes the time to steal the binoculars to keep a lookout for the revenant Wynonna has been trying to hunt down.

It isn’t until Wynonna finishes eating that she speaks again. She snatches the binoculars back from Nicole to peer through them. “But just so we’re clear, sex isn’t totally off the table.”

Nicole can only stare.


	2. Relief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three people requested angst for an impromptu prompt.

* * *

The whiskey burns her throat as she gulps down a large mouthful. There’s a comfort in the sting and the numbness that comes with it.

The door to her hiding space swings open and then she’s blinking in the suddenly bright room. She holds her breath and tries to make herself appear smaller, remembering the tips of her boots and bottle hanging from her right hand too late.

“It’s a little early for that, don’t you think Wy?” a familiar voice asks as a uniform-clad woman rounds the filing cabinet Wynonna’s been hiding behind.

Wynonna can’t decide if she sounds bemused or amused - what was the difference again? She tries to think past the fog in her head for only a brief moment.

In any case, it’s the last voice Wynonna wants to hear despite the pleasant goosebumps that prick along her skin. She glares down at her arm and takes a long pull from her bottle. “What, it’s past 5 already.” Her head lolls to the side as she looks up at Nicole.

Nicole rolls her eyes and sighs, her hands on her hips. “Past 5 AM, maybe. Seriously, what are you doing here?”

Wynonna looks around the old storage room and shrugs. It had been the most private place she could think of since the work day was only half over. Shorty’s is off-limits, and her access to booze is limited without it. “I needed some place to duck into after stealing Nedley’s hooch,” Wynonna declares as she proudly holds up the bottle.

Nicole shakes her head, making Wynonna wonder where her hat is. She squints upward at Nicole and ponders if she can french-braid her own hair - another talent of the surprisingly not-totally-inept deputy that wouldn’t surprise Wynonna at all.

The gentle impact of Nicole’s boot against her own disturbs her thoughts.

“You alright?” Nicole asks. Her eyes are trained steadily on Wynonna.

“Perfect,” Wynonna replies as she takes another swig, “this is good stuff.”

“Funny, I could swear he packed away a cheap bottle as a decoy after last time.” Nicole’s arms drop as she shifts her weight, hooking a thumb on her duty belt.

Wynonna knows she shouldn’t be engaging in this conversation - not with Nicole, not right now, but she’s always had a problem doing what she’s supposed to do. She raises an eyebrow and smirks. “I know. I drank that two days ago. He should do a better job of stocking up if he doesn’t want me drinking this.”

Something in Wynonna’s chest lurches when Nicole sighs and then she’s scooting around to take up the empty space on Wynonna’s left.

“Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, working?” she asks as Nicole settles into place. The words are followed by a few more gulps of whiskey, and Wynonna internally curses her high tolerance as the sting in her throat seems to travel and settle somewhere behind her ribs.

“You know Purgatory,” Nicole says with a half-smile, “it’s either drunk rednecks or dead bodies. It’s too early for one, and we haven’t turned up the other yet today.”

Wynonna finds her own lips twitching. She jerks her head so she’s facing forward and definitely not looking at Nicole’s soft eyes or the gentle curve of her pale lips.

Her stomach churns. Not feeling things is way better than this. Stupid Nicole with her stupid dimples and stupid uniform.

Distracted as she is by her thoughts, she doesn’t catch Nicole’s swipe for the bottle.

“Hey!” she protests as Nicole holds the bottle far out of reach. She contemplates fighting for it, but refrains. The last thing she needs is to end up tangled with–she slumps back against the wall and squeezes her eyes shut.

“Wy, you realize that you can’t drown out all your problems with alcohol, right?”

“It’s worked for the last decade or so,” Wynonna mutters. It’s not really true, of course. Alcohol and other things have only ever been a very temporary relief from her thoughts, but she’ll take relief in any way she can get it.

The tension in her abdomen that had started the moment she’d heard the gentle husk to Nicole’s voice becomes worse. Even she has limits, especially when it had finally become clear to Wynonna that she wasn’t the only one with eyes for Purgatory’s own Officer Haught.

Ordinarily that wouldn’t stop Wynonna; she’d never cared if her bed partners were attached or not, but things are different since she’s realized that Waverly’s eyes always seem to follow Nicole whenever she's around. It had taken a while for the idea to sink in for Wynonna, blinded by her own personal interest in Nicole.

That was a line Wynonna couldn’t cross, especially not when she’s so fully aware how much better Waverly would be as the heir. She brings a hand up to rub at her belly.

Nicole seems equally enamored of Waverly, and it wouldn’t surprise Wynonna if they’d already figured that out. Nicole probably wouldn’t even give Wynonna a second glance, anyway. Waverly is and always has been the better Earp.

It shouldn’t bother her, not really. All she’d wanted was a little relief from the woman next to her, nothing more.

“Where’d you just go?” Nicole asks in a low voice.

Wynonna’s eyelids droop. “Nowhere far enough. There’s never any place far enough.”

She sees Nicole raise a hand as if to reach out to her, and Wynonna grunts as she gracelessly stands. “Well, if you’re not gonna give me back my booze I guess I’m done here for now.”

The world dips around her for a moment. She takes the time to stretch a little. She’s certainly not getting any younger.

“Oh, and if you want to hang out again, try to remember it’s rude to take a lady’s drink. Honestly, what kind of lesbian are you?” Wynonna keeps the words light, and the illusion works because she doesn’t have to look at Nicole.

Wynonna’s nearly out of the room before she hears Nicole’s response.

“The kind that cares about her friends.”

Bile rises in Wynonna’s throat. Maybe she should have eaten something before drinking. She shrugs and turns her head to the side. A wry smile is twisting her lips. “Haven’t you heard, Nic? I don’t have any friends.”

The door shuts behind her easily, and she whistles to herself despite the way her chest feels heavy and her eyes sting a little too much.


	3. Ecstasy (Agony)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> qualitytrees asked: wynonna/nicole: nicole accidentally takes ecstasy

Wynonna doesn’t notice her at first, focused as she is on the depleting liquid in her bottle. Scoring booze at Shorty’s is tricky now that Bobo is gone and the other revenants are alternately too scared to come to the bar or too overzealous and usually end up with a quick trip back to hell.

She squints at the bartender. He’s a slight fellow with long sideburns and a quiet voice that seems to be more of a neutral revenant. Wynonna is content to let him be as long as he doesn’t cause any trouble - and he doesn’t deny her service.

“Why is it so warm in here?” a familiar voice asks.

Wynonna rubs at her face as she turns to identify the voice and finds a half-dressed Nicole Haught standing in the middle of the bar.

“Nic, what are you doing?” Wynonna is proud when the words come out with nary a slur, though her attention is focused intently on the tall guy standing too close to Nicole. Doesn’t he know Nic is both gay and taken?

She frowns when Nicole doesn’t push him away and seemingly ignores her, and stands the moment Nicole begins untucking her tank top with the intent of pulling it off.

“Whoa now, slow down there Nic,” Wynonna blurts out as she clumsily rushes forward and pulls the rising cotton fabric back down.

“Wy?” Nicole says far too loudly. “Oh wow, I’m so glad you’re here.” The enthusiastic greeting is followed by an equally enthusiastic hug.

Wynonna’s hands flail awkwardly at the side hug, her eyes widening after a moment. “Did you just lick my neck?”

“Hm? Did I? You smell sooo good though. It makes me hungry for…vodka.”

Though Wynonna has made her way through a decently sized bottle of the aforementioned beverage, her mind isn’t too cloudy to realize that there’s something wrong. Nicole seems content to hug Wynonna for the foreseeable future, so Wynonna glares at the large guy who’s looking down at the both of them in awe.

“What’d you give her?” Wynonna ask as her hand settles on Peacemaker’s grip.

The guy grins before he notices the gun. His face pales and he holds up his hands. “N-nothing, really.”

Wynonna unholsters Peacemaker but leaves it hanging down at her side. Behind the bar, the wiry revenant only shakes his head and turns away. Though Shorty’s is relatively busy, Wynonna knows he hears the sound of the hammer clicking into place. “Wanna try that again?”

She stiffens when Nicole licks her neck again, and she can just make out low murmurs of “snozzberries taste like snozzberries” before the tall guy swallows and speaks.

“Just a half a tab of X, I swear.” He’s perspiring now, but doesn’t seem to be a revenant. Wynonna considers shooting him anyway. “You pull this shit again and you won’t have to worry about being arrested; they won’t be able to find your body.”

She sneers as he backs up quickly, stumbling over a half-pulled out chair as he scurries to leave the bar. The other occupants at Shorty’s don’t react, long used to minding their own business.

“Okay, nope,” Wynonna blurts out when Nicole begins nibbling at a sensitive spot just below her jaw, jerking away and securing Peacemaker back in its place.

Nicole seems unfazed, grinning and looking around. “Where’s the music? I can’t hear it. Ugh, why’s it so hot?”

Though drink has always been Wynonna’s escape of choice, she recalls trying a few other things along her travels. She sighs and reaches out to take Nicole’s hand. It’s surprisingly soft, though she can feel slight calluses over the tops of Nicole’s palm at the joints.

“I know where there’s some great music,” Wynonna says in a pseudo cheerful voice. “Why don’t you come with me?”

“Oh, man. That would be so, so awesome. I love you, Wy. Let’s go!” Nicole turns to lead Wynonna away by a hand - Wynonna stoops over to collect the button up shirt Nicole must have discarded before Wynonna had noticed her.

She shakes her head, knowing she has a long night ahead of her. She’ll keep Nicole hydrated and safe, but it’s really not how she intended to spend the night.

***

Nicole’s head is pounding when she wakes, her stomach twisting and her body feeling as if she’s been thrown off a mountain. “What the,” she mumbles and stops, rolling her tongue around her mouth at the very bad taste that lingers.

Her heart starts pounding harder than her head when she realizes that she’s in an unfamiliar place - and naked. Guilt rolls over her, as does fear. She doesn’t remember last night at all.

Nicole’s mind is foggy as she tries to remember. She’d decided to swing by Shorty’s after another fruitless patrol of Purgatory hoping to find the several-weeks-missing Waverly, but she doesn’t even remember arriving.

Her current state makes no sense; she hadn’t gone to Shorty’s to drink, only to keep an eye on Wynonna. Neither she nor Wynonna have been taking Waverly’s absence well, and they’d butted heads a few times in frustration before deciding to split their efforts.

None of it explained what Nicole was willing to bet felt like the worst hangover of her life.

“You awake?” a bleary voice inquires.

“Wynonna?” The shock makes her headache worse and she’s terrified when she realizes that she _does_  know this place.

“Relax,” Wynonna mumbles. “Some guy slipped something in your club soda last night. I scared the shit out of him and brought you here so you wouldn’t do anything you’d regret.”

Nicole feels slightly better, other than the fact that she feels so sick and her head’s pounding so hard that she wants to be put out of her misery. She hesitates as her mind slowly works. “Why am I naked?”

“You kept saying you were hot.” Wynonna sounds tired and frustrated. “I couldn’t get you to keep a damn stitch on.”

“So, nothing happened?” Nicole asks slowly.

There’s silence and then Wynonna rolls so she’s facing away. “Nope.”

There’s something off in Wynonna’s voice, but when Nicole does a slow check of herself she notices nothing out of the ordinary. She sighs and closes her eyes, tucking the covers firmly around herself. She needs more sleep.

Wynonna hears when the gentle snores start again, and she sniffles to herself. She hadn’t really lied.

_“You’re so beautiful and smart and amazing I think this town is so stupid for treating you the way it does_.”

_Wynonna is caught by surprise. She’s tired and sober, and she pauses in collecting Nicole’s discarded shirt for the nth time. “What?”_

_Nicole offers her a slow-spreading grin. “I love you Wy, you know that?”_

_The words really shouldn’t make Wynonna’s heart pound the way it does - especially not when Nicole had just been talking about how Cher is her hero - but exhausted Wynonna is caught off-guard all the same._

_She’s so distracted she doesn’t notice that Nicole is suddenly looming before her, and then a moment later Nicole surprises her with a kiss._

_It’s so soft and gentle, almost reverent in its tenderness. Wynonna can’t remember the last time she felt anything quite like it. She jerks away after a moment. Exhaustion has made her slow, and when she glances at Nicole and sees the deputy has become distracted by something new and shiny it’s difficult to admit that the sudden indifference_ hurts.

Wynonna squeezes her eyes shut. She’s just over-tired and emotional from trying to keep Nicole in check all night. When she wakes up, things will be back to normal and…

She turns her face into her pillow because there is no normal anymore. Not with Willa dead and Waverly gone. Dolls still hasn't’ returned and Doc is off trying to find him. The only person she has left is Nicole, and Wynonna has a sinking feeling that she’s ruined that as well.

The pillow hides her silent sobs, and yet a moment later she feels a warm body curl around her back.

“Hey,” Nicole says gently, “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

Wynonna cries harder, but doesn’t pull away. For a little bit she’d like pretend that she isn’t alone and that she isn’t a failure. She feels miserable for accepting Nicole’s affection when it isn’t really hers to take, but she feels so close to breaking that she can’t help herself.

“I’ve got you,” Nicole repeats.


	4. Deal 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The votes are in, and this ficlet is a follow up to the one in chapter one.

* * *

Nicole runs her hand over her head as she steps into the sheriff’s department, checking to see if her hat’s mussed her hair much. It still feels relatively neat.

She nods as she passes by one of her colleagues, pleased when he heads immediately for the door. Nicole’s shoulders slump as she winces and reaches up toward her neck. Nedley had told her she didn’t need to come in today, but Nicole has been feeling particularly stubborn this morning.

Her plans to ply Wynonna with food to get the lowdown on the local dating pool had been disrupted by a mixed wave of revenant activity and a town festival that had their holding cells full more often than not.

The festival had finally ended the previous day, though not before Nicole had been forced to intervene in a brawl. She’d been tossed over a table, and adrenaline had kicked in. The guy that had inadvertently thrown her had been lucky the table was cheap and Nicole hadn’t broken anything--well, except for maybe his pride. The fight had settled down after her single punch had taken the bull of a man out.

“Glass jaw,” she mumbles under her breath as she does a quick check through of the building to see who’s on duty.

It’s only when she reaches the area set aside for Black Badge activities that Nicole finds herself doing a double take.

She stares into the room, stepping in after a few seconds of hesitation. The door shuts quietly behind her.

“Wynonna?” Nicole’s voice is uncommonly high-pitched.

Nicole glances at her watch. Wynonna is at work before noon, and not only that, it seems like she’s actually _working_.

Wynonna looks serious behind the computer, her brow furrowed as she concentrates. She blinks slowly after a moment and focuses on Nicole.

“Nic,” she says solemnly, “have you seen this?”

A lump settles in Nicole’s throat. What new horrible thing has struck Purgatory? She lengthens her stride as she rounds the long table.

“What the hell…?” Nicole stares at the screen, unsurprised when Wynonna snickers and then guffaws.

“Look at them!” Wynonna leans forward, her eyes fixated on the clip of a group of dogs joyriding in an SUV.

All at once Nicole is both disappointed and relieved. She shakes her head. “This is what’s got you in here so early?”

“No. This was just a bonus.” Wynonna clicks a few times and then a different video is being played. “ _This_ is what got me here early.”

It doesn’t take long for Nicole to recognize the setting of the video. “This was last night,” she mutters as the crowd of people edged around the large fight suddenly part to reveal Nedley and a group of deputies.

Thankfully the video stays trained on the sheriff as they attempt to break up the fight, and Nicole snorts when a wayward elbow knocks Nedley on his ass. The impact and resulting fall replays in slow motion immediately after.

She’s unsurprised to find Wynonna smirking triumphantly at the screen.

“Almost sorry I missed it,” Wynonna says, “but thankfully smart phones have caught on in Purgatory.”

Nicole shakes her head, a small smile pulling at her lips. Nedley has been pretty good to her, but she understands there’s a bit of bad blood between him and Wynonna.

“You didn’t miss much - just a whole lot of drunk people acting like idiots.” In truth, Nicole had been a little surprised not to see Wynonna present on any of the festival nights. It had been a prime opportunity to score some free booze from other inebriated townsfolk.

Wynonna waves a dismissive hand. “Not much has changed since I was a kid, then.”

Just when Nicole thinks it might be a good time to inquire why Wynonna hadn’t bothered to attend the festival, Wynonna speaks again.

“Maybe now that’s all over, you can get on with feeding me. Waves is trying make me eat healthy, Nic. I can’t take it. I _need_ bacon.”

Nicole tilts her head. Wynonna’s giving her a look tinged with desperation. She narrows her eyes. “So _that’s_ the real reason you’re here.”

Wynonna huffs and rolls her eyes. “Come on, Nic. I’m hungry. I tell you what; I’ll give you two names, okay?”

Though it’s tempting to refuse Wynonna just on principle, Nicole hesitates. “She’s really not letting you have bacon?”

“Only tofu bacon. I didn’t even know you could get that stuff in Purgatory.”

Nicole’s eyes widen in horror. “Alright, let’s go grab some breakfast.”

As far as Nicole’s concerned, there is no substitute for bacon. The prospect of leaving makes her feel a little guilty, but she reasons that she wasn’t supposed to come in today anyway. There’s nothing wrong with stepping out for a bit.

Wynonna brightens and stands up, leading the way to the door without hesitation.

Nicole’s suddenly glad that most the diners in town are pretty cheap.

*

Half an hour later when they’re tucked away in a booth and Wynonna’s inhaling her food at an alarming rate, Nicole has to hide her mirth behind a mug of coffee.

“You, uh, gonna take a sec to breathe there, Nonna?”

Wynonna continues chewing and points at her nose. She swallows. “I can hold my breath for a pretty long time. It comes in handy.”

Before Nicole can respond, Wynonna scoops up another healthy portion of ham and egg. Her eyes seem to twinkle up at Nicole.

Nicole presses her lips together for a few seconds to withhold her immediate response. It hits her then; she doesn’t _have_ to. Though nearly all of the few people she might call friends in Purgatory are straight, Wynonna _isn’t_.

“Bet you’ve made a few girls and boys happy,” she quips before biting into a piece of jam-covered toast.

Wynonna looks delighted. “More than a few,” she boasts around a mouthful of food.

They share a grin, and Nicole sits back to enjoy the rest of her own breakfast. In Wynonna’s company, she feels just a little more at ease. She ruminates over the realization as she eats, and decides it’s just nice to know she’s not the only non-heterosexual person in town.

“Janet Simmons and Claire Kinsey.”

It takes a moment for the words to penetrate Nicole’s thoughts. “Huh?”

“Janet Simmons and Claire Kinsey,” Wynonna repeats as she reaches over to steal the last bit of Nicole’s toast.

Nicole frowns. “Claire moved away, like, two weeks ago.” She pauses, silently mourning the loss. Claire had seemed nice. “Isn’t Janet in her fifties?”

Wynonna’s brow furrows as she considers the ceiling. “Is she? Damn, she ages well. I thought she was in her 30s way back when we hooked up.”

Nicole’s frown deepens. “Wasn’t she married to a preacher up until last ye--” she cuts herself off as she glances at Wynonna. “Holy shit, the preacher’s wife?”

“She was trying to get me to go to church,” Wynonna explains before taking a drink from her hot chocolate. “Some outreach thing. We made it as far as her minivan. Wait, no. Once we did make it inside. I remember wondering if she said ‘God’ that much during her husband’s sermons.”

Wynonna’s smile seems wistful, and Nicole suddenly finds herself feeling uncomfortable. She clears her throat. A change of subject seems like a good idea. “So, why didn’t you go to the festival?”

The smile drops from Wynonna’s face, her jaw working as she studies her mug. “Let’s just say I have bad memories about it and leave it that.”

Her features seem unusually hard, making Nicole regret her inquisitive nature. Nicole takes in a slow breath. “Alright, but if you ever do want to talk about it, let me know. I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

Wynonna raises both eyebrows. “Not gonna happen.” She looks down at their empty plates. “Well, looks like we’re done here. Shame those names didn’t work out for you.”

Nicole tilts her head in agreement, bringing her coffee mug up for another drink.

“Wanna go have sex?” Wynonna asks nonchalantly.

Nicole chokes on her coffee, a violent coughing spell making it difficult to breathe for several moments. The other diner patrons stare at her for a bit after the coughing stops. She wipes brusquely at her face, sending a glare Wynonna’s way.

“You trying to kill me?” Her voice is hoarse, and she attributes the roughness to the coughing fit.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Nicole. It’s just sex.”

The steady blue gaze does nothing to dispel Nicole’s discomfort. She digs her wallet out of her pocket and leaves a twenty on the table, not caring that she’s probably given Joan a too-big tip.

“Let’s go. You’re making this weird,” she gripes as she stands and shoves her wallet back in her pocket.

Wynonna chuckles when she turns abruptly on her heel to lead the way out.

“Don’t be such a baby. You’d think I asked you to get married or something.”

The last part makes Nicole pause; she’s glad they’re outside. The last thing she needs are crazy rumors going around. She opts not to speak as they return to her squad car.

“Oh, come on. The silent treatment is so immature.” Wynonna sighs.

Nicole gives her a deadpan look. “Not cool, Wynonna.” She’s not sure why she feels so out of sorts. It had just been another joke.

Wynonna runs a hand through her hair and looks away. “What, you look hot in uniform.”

“Could you _not_ do that?” Nicole snaps out. She glares down at the steering column, knowing she shouldn’t drive angry.

“Do what?”

Wynonna’s genuine confusion makes Nicole pause. She grips the steering wheel. “I don’t know, you’re making me feel weird.”

Wynonna holds up her hands. “Okay, yeah, sure.”

The car rumbles to life some moments later.

As Nicole gets the car pointed back toward the station, Wynonna speaks again.

“Despite what people might say, I don’t sleep with just anyone, Nic. I like you, and you _are_ hot. I just want you to know that.”

Nicole doesn’t know what to think. She isn’t used to this Wynonna, their exchanges normally being more friendly than...whatever this new stuff is. More than the light flirting she’s used to, that’s for sure. Still, she knows what Wynonna is like, knows that Wynonna doesn’t usually expose a more serious side of herself like this.

Her throat works a moment as she parks in front of the station. “So, dinner later?”

The awkward moment passes, and Wynonna gives her a small smile. “Want another name to work with, huh?”

Nicole shrugs, not ready to look at Wynonna. “Dunno, I just thought maybe we could just hang out.”

There’s an audible pause. “It’s not a date, Nicole.”

“I _know_ ,” Nicole says with a roll of her eyes as she turns to face Wynonna.

Wynonna’s smile is wider again. “But sex still isn’t off the table.”

“I’ll remember to shave when I get home then,” Nicole says as she sends a side look Wynonna’s way.

Wynonna quirks a brow at her. “Shaving? Fancy. We’re friends, Nic, no need to go to all that trouble.”

Nicole frowns. “You’re just saying that because you _don’t_ want to shave.”

They stare at each other for a moment. Wynonna quickly unbuckles her seat belt and exits the car. “I just remembered there’s a revenant I need to send back to hell,” she says before slamming the door shut.

Nicole’s left laughing after her, despite not knowing what will happen after dinner. She’s okay with that, she decides. They’re both single, and she really doubts Wynonna will make a move anyway.

She decides to shave when she gets off of work, all the same.


	5. The Bottom of the Bottle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's heavy on the alcoholism. Angst.
> 
> Prompt: "What happens when the alcohol is done."

* * *

“Shit!” Wynonna hisses as she paces in her motel room, her breathing uneven and her hands balled into fists at her sides.

Her jaw works even as she begins to perspire; her mouth is dry. She’s so thirsty.

“Keep it together,” she grits out between clenched teeth. She’s doing this for Dolls, testifying in front of a committee tomorrow morning that will ultimately decide his fate - and the small branch of the Black Badge division he’d started in Purgatory.

Wynonna doesn’t really care about Black Badge. She’ll hunt down revenants either way. But Dolls? Well...

There’s suddenly knocking at her door, and Wynonna’s grateful for the interruption. She heaves a sigh when she peeks into the peephole and sees Nicole dressed in the same burgundy sweater and jeans Wynonna had seen her in earlier.

Of course, Wynonna’s testimony won’t be enough for Dolls. Not with her record. She’s...not unhappy to have Nicole along on this trip.

“Nic,” she says as soon as she’s unlocked the door and swung it open, “I know what I said, but I don’t think I can--”

Before Wynonna can finish speaking, Nicole raises a hand. There’s a tiny bottle of bourbon resting in it.

Wynonna shivers at the sight before sending Nicole a furtive look.

There’s a wry smile on Nicole’s face, and Wynonna hurriedly steps back to let her inside.

Nicole accepts the invitation with a sigh, stepping inside and waiting as Wynonna fumbles to lock the door again.

Wynonna licks her lips as she pretends she’s not thinking about the bottle Nicole’s got. Bourbon isn’t her normal drink of choice, but at the moment it feels like her favorite.

“My uncle was an alcoholic,” Nicole says in a tight voice. “I knew you couldn’t go cold turkey. Not if you want to actually be functional at the hearing tomorrow.”

Acid rises in the back of Wynonna’s throat, and she ducks her head down briefly. Her hands are trembling.

“Well, who knew?” Wynonna tries for nonchalant. “I’ve never tried to stop before.”

When she turns to face Nicole her smile doesn’t feel right - it twitches more than it should, but all she needs is for Nicole not to look at her like that. She focuses on the bottle, still resting inconspicuously on Nicole’s palm.

She licks her lips again.

“Go ahead,” Nicole says as she raises her hand higher.

Despite her need, Wynonna hesitates. Shame seeps into her body, weighing down her limbs as she gives in and reaches for the bottle.

She turns away from Nicole and fumbles awkwardly with the lid. Her hands are shaking too much.

“Let me.” Nicole’s voice is gentle, and her hands equally so, as she takes the bottle back.

The lid makes a satisfying crack as the seal is broken.

Wynonna focuses on the bottle - not because she wants it (though she does, desperately) but because she can’t bear to look at Nicole. She reaches for the bottle again.

Nicole carefully pulls it away. “Let me,” she repeats in the same soft voice.

Wynonna grits her teeth and drops her shaking hands. She nods.

She closes her eyes as the bottle is pressed to her lips, the burning taste of bourbon on her tongue almost immediately letting her breathe easier. Her hands rise to cup Nicole’s hand and help tilt the bottle further, further - until there’s nothing left.

Wynonna swallows twice after the last of the amber liquid is gone, still thirsty but not as bad as before. She doesn’t know what to say or do. The tiny bottle isn’t nearly enough to help her forget her shame, the way her skin feels like it’s burning with Nicole around in witness to it.

“Did you know you could have seizures if you just stop? A major heart attack? _Die_? You’re a tough woman, Wynonna, but if you decide to stop drinking, you’re going to need help. And time.”

Wynonna curls her arms tightly around herself. She doesn’t look at Nicole, instead forcing a laugh and studying an odd stain on the far wall. “Who said I was going to totally stop? I just wanted to...pause. Be at my best. For Dolls.”

Nicole sighs. “I know.”

There’s a heavy pause, one that has Wynonna itching to leave her room and find her way to the run-down bar they’d passed on their way to the motel.

“But...if you ever wanted to stop. I know a place. I know some people who could help you. I’d help you as much as I could.”

Wynonna’s eyes sting. She curls her lips up into a disgusted smile, turning sharply on her heel to bare her teeth at Nicole. “Gee, Nic. Why bother trying to score brownie points _after_ you and Waves have broken up? Maybe you should have tried _before_.”

She doesn’t mean it, really. She doubts Waverly knows or cares.

Nicole snorts, one eyebrow arching up in response. “I meant what I said, Wy. You know that.”

The bourbon isn’t doing much for Wynonna, but at least she doesn’t feel like she’s going to suffocate. She picks up one of the complimentary plastic cups resting near the outdated TV and fills it at the sink just outside of the bathroom. She winces as she sips from it, but drinks anyway.

“Why do you care so much, Nic? You warm for my form? Missing some Earp action?” Her gaze flickers up in the mirror in time to catch an odd expression passing over Nicole’s face.

She tosses the plastic cup aside and slowly turns. The bourbon only helps so much. If that look was anything to go by, maybe she has another option.

Wynonna strides forward before she can second guess herself, heart thumping heavily in her chest. She catches Nicole by surprise with the kiss.

Nicole is stiff against her but softens after a moment. Wynonna smiles - until she’s roughly pushed away.

“ _No_ , Wynonna.”

It shouldn’t bother Wynonna so much. It shouldn’t.

It doesn’t.

She jerks away from the hands still loosely wrapped around her arms and takes a few strides away. “Well then get out of here if you’re not giving me booze or sex, I need one. Or both.”

“Wy…”

“I said, _leave_ , Nicole.”

Wynonna’s breathing is off again. She’s heading to the bar as soon as Nicole is gone.

Nicole’s footsteps sound loud as she moves.

“What are you--” Wynonna’s words abruptly stop because Nicole’s arms are suddenly wrapping around her. “A hug? Really?”

Wynonna is angry. How _dare_ Nicole pull this crap. “You’re stupid! This is stupid! Why are you trying so hard for someone who doesn’t even care about you? You’re not getting anything out of this, you know that right, dumbass?”

Nicole only tilts her head, a neutral expression on her face.

The sight of it only makes Wynonna even angrier. “Ugh! Let me go!” She jerks back, her hands pressing roughly against Nicole’s chest - but Nicole’s arms don’t budge. “You’re...you, ugh!”

To her great embarrassment, her eyes are stinging again. She scowls against the feeling, ready to say something she knows she’ll regret later. But she looks up at Nicole.

The neutral expression is gone.

Her eyes are shining too brightly, the smile on her face isn’t quite right. She leans forward and Wynonna squeezes her eyes shut.

Nicole’s lips are soft against her forehead.

“Please,” Nicole whispers, “ _don’t_ hurt yourself.”

A strangled noise escapes Wynonna’s throat, and then she’s pressing her face against the fabric covering Nicole’s collarbone. She refuses to cry in front of Nicole. She won’t.

But when Nicole’s arms wrap around her just a little tighter, she doesn’t complain.

“Stay?” Wynonna asks in a faltering voice after countless minutes have passed. Her eyes are gritty. She half hopes Nicole didn’t hear the too desperate request.

Her stomach drops when Nicole pulls away - but Nicole tangles their hands together and leads the way to the bed.

They awkwardly tug off their boots, but it’s okay again once they’re curled together under the thin blanket.

Wynonna doesn’t have to look Nicole in the face with her head tucked against the deputy’s neck. That suits her just fine.

She worries what’ll happen in the morning when the bourbon is a faint memory and she’s faced with Nicole and her too soft, too attentive eyes that Wynonna knows shouldn’t be looking at _her_.

“Thank you,” Nicole mumbles just when Wynonna’s eyes begin to droop.

Wynonna’s fingers dig into the fabric of Nicole’s sweater.

Nicole responds by pressing another delicate kiss to her forehead.

Wynonna grits her teeth as she begins to cry.


	6. A Night's Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the kiss meme, yourestillhere asked for #15, A kiss because I have literally been watching you all night and I can’t take anymore.

* * *

Nicole’s face is grim as they creep around the wall, her gun lowered as she leads the way to the wide double doors.

She reaches out to the first door handle with her free hand and glances back at Wynonna.

Wynonna adjusts her grip on Peacemaker and nods.

Nicole returns the nod and takes a breath.

The metal door groans and screeches as it swings open, making Nicole hurriedly grasp her gun with both hands. She swings right as Wynonna swings left, but there’s little to see even with the evening sun filtering through the windows.

The building, thought to be long abandoned, is musty and chock-full of dust but not much else.

“Look. Something was dragged through here,” Nicole says in a low voice as she points to the floor with her chin, gun still at the ready.  


Wynonna follows the gesture, eyebrows raising as she spots the clean trail that leads back to the sole room in the building. “We might have a winner after all. That’s good; I had a monologue prepared and everything.”

Nicole snorts and rolls her eyes, smiling though still not fully at ease. “Come on.”

Their footsteps seem unnaturally loud against the linoleum. Nicole’s gut clenches tighter the closer they get to the last room. The faded green of the door could hold any number of assailants waiting just behind it, waiting to spring out at them. Her eyes sting as she refuses to blink, refuses to take her attention from their goal for a moment.

Wynonna’s worked with her long enough to know the drill, and again they split as they reach the room. Their earlier procedure with the double doors is repeated; this door is locked but Nicole knows the old wood will give under the right pressure. She inhales through her nose and braces herself, leg forcefully propelling toward the precarious wood.

The door gives with the first try.

Here, Wynonna takes the lead, Peacemaker ready for the pack of revenants they’ve been hunting for the last week as Nicole checks their surroundings one last time to ensure they won’t be ambushed from behind.

Out of her periphery Nicole notices as Wynonna freezes in the doorway–her eyes are wide and she’s slack-jawed as Nicole glances directly at her.

“Nic,” Wynonna says in an odd voice as she holsters her gun, “I think you need to call this in.”  


Nicole frowns and steps up behind Wynonna. It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark interior. Her stomach feels like it drops down to her feet.

Huddled in the room, faces and clothes filthy from who-knows-what and eyes wide with fear, are eight children no older than eleven.

She does a quick scan, noting no other entrances and exits to the room, and holsters her own gun. She swallows and tries not to think of her own nieces and nephews, instead hunching down to make herself smaller and raising her empty hands up so they can be easily seen.

“Hey, it’s alright now. I’m Officer Haught and this is Deputy Marshal Earp. We’re here to help you.”  


*

They stay with the children long after Nicole makes the call, moving them outside and settling them on some blankets Nicole pulls from the trunk of her cruiser.

The nearest hospital is forty-five minutes away, though there’s a fire station with paramedics on staff halfway between them and Purgatory.

Nicole feels unable to leave the children alone, even as Sheriff Nedley arrives at their location with two other officers and grimly begins overseeing the processing of the scene.

“I have a little sister. It’s tough being older sometimes, isn’t it?” 

Wynonna’s voice finally penetrates the fog of professionalism Nicole’s been settled in to maintain her composure. She looks away from seven-year-old Steven and nine-year-old Amber long enough to discover that she’s not wrong.

Wynonna is cuddled up to four of the other children, unconcerned at how dirty the kids are, allowing them to remain close and grasp at her arms and shirt.

Though Nicole has long learned to give Wynonna the benefit of the doubt, the ease which Wynonna interacts with the children still catches her off-guard.

Wynonna is smiling down at the little girl huddled tightly into her side, and as Nicole watches, quickly glances away and wipes at her face with the back of her hand.

A lump settles in Nicole’s throat. She tries to swallow it away as the paramedics finally arrive and begin checking the children over.

She isn’t sure how much time passes as she watches over her own little group–her attention wanders over to check on Wynonna and _her_ bunch countless times–but eventually the kids are rounded up and on their way to the hospital.

“The names will help.” Nedley’s voice is flat, and Nicole knows he’s trying to deal with what he’s seen in his own way. “You and Wynonna did good.”  


“Yeah,” Nicole agrees hollowly, not feeling good at all.  


Nedley reads her mood, reaching out to clap a hand over her shoulder. “Take it easy tomorrow, okay? The paperwork can wait.”

Nicole nods but she’s not looking at him. She restlessly scans the rundown area of Purgatory, seeking something she’s not certain of–until she spots Wynonna disappearing around the far side of the abandoned building.

She bids her boss a quick farewell and hurries to follow Wynonna.

When she rounds the corner she expects to find Wynonna pacing or crying or both, but instead Wynonna is quiet and still, leaning back against the building and staring up at the stars.

“You okay?” Nicole asks as she hesitantly moves closer to Wynonna.  


Wynonna stares up at the stars a half-second longer. She shrugs and focuses on Nicole. “Fine.”

Nicole stops an arm’s length away from Wynonna. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, her hands awkwardly settling on her duty belt as she looks down. “Oh.”

She doesn’t know what to do; she’d been ready to comfort Wynonna, to help her try and process what they’d both seen.

“Are _you_  okay?”  


Nicole’s hands freeze. She frowns, slowly raising her eyes until she’s again looking at Wynonna. She expects Wynonna to be smiling, maybe ready to tease her or make fun of her.

Instead, Wynonna is silent and serious.

“No. I don’t think I am.” Nicole doesn’t realize the words are true until she’s uttered them.  


She sweeps forward but stops just shy of touching Wynonna.

Wynonna sighs and opens her arms. She looks uncomfortable but her sincere, and Nicole sinks into the embrace without further prompting.

“They’re so small,” she whispers into the curtain of Wynonna’s hair.  


Wynonna nods almost imperceptibly. “They’ll be fine. They’re young enough to recover from this.”

Nicole squeezes Wynonna tighter, not needing to ask how Wynonna knows that.

She pulls back abruptly, suddenly feeling embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“No prob,” Wynonna says with a lopsided smile and a one-armed shrug.  


Nicole is about to pull back, to suggest she drive Wynonna home when she notices the way Wynonna’s lips are trembling and her blue eyes are shining a little too brightly in the moonlight.

Something tightens in Nicole’s chest, and then she’s stepping closer again and dipping her head down.

Wynonna inhales sharply against her mouth just before their lips meet–but doesn’t pull away.

Nicole closes her eyes and lets the last several horrible hours wash away; Wynonna is warm and welcoming and beckoning her body closer.


	7. Another Little Piece

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o-flairegan on Tumblr asked for "heartbreak" for an angst prompt.
> 
> Angst ahead.

* * *

Nicole paces around the porch on the homestead, hat clutched in her hands.

Wynonna should have been home hours ago. The fight had been stupid. Nicole had said a lot of things she really hadn’t meant. Wynonna just got under her skin like no one else and—it really isn’t a good enough excuse.

Having the fight while she was on the clock had been even worse. She couldn’t just chase after Wynonna forever, especially not with Nedley so wary of Wynonna on Nicole’s behalf.

It’s only been a few weeks since she and Wynonna had decided to try pursuing this _thing_  between them and Wynonna’s been skittish the entire time. Like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, Wynonna still hasn’t seemed to relax into their new roles.

Nicole certainly hadn’t helped things along today.

The familiar sounds of Wynonna’s truck starts off in the distance, and Nicole stops in her pacing. Her hands are still clutching at her hat. She’d been too worried to return home to change into her civvies, not wanting to miss Wynonna.

The truck seems to take an interminable time coming down the unpaved driveway, and Nicole’s chest feels tight as she unknowingly holds her breath.

Wynonna’s boots seem unnaturally loud as they crunch over dirt and stone on her trek to the porch.

Nicole knows the moment Wynonna spots her, the lanky frame stiffening mid-stride only a few paces away from the bottom step.

“Nicole.” It’s not a question or an accusation, more an almost anxious scoff. “Of course.”  


It doesn’t matter to Nicole, though pulling air into her lungs still seems to take extra effort.

When Wynonna reaches the porch and stops in front of the door, it feels like a big ball of ice has grown in Nicole’s stomach.

Wynonna smells like booze, but more than that her hair is mussed and her clothes are unkempt—and if Nicole looks closely, she’s sure those are teeth marks on Wynonna’s exposed collar bone. She doesn’t. Instead, she peers into Wynonna’s eyes almost fiercely, her eyes burning and something in her chest feeling like it’s withered and died.

“You never said we were exclusive,” Wynonna says almost matter-of-factly—except her voice shakes and her eyes are wide and panicked.  


“No.” Nicole isn’t sure the sound has come from her, the choked and quiet thing. “No,” she repeats louder, “but I guess I’d hoped.”  


Wynonna’s lips stretch into something that certainly can’t be mistaken for a smile. “Well that’s the thing, Nic. When it comes to me and any kind of commitment, I’m damned hopeless.”

Nicole’s eyebrows push down low, her lips pulling back into a pained grimace. She doesn’t want to cry, dammit. She _won’t_.

If anyone were to ask later, neither Wynonna or Nicole would be able to say who moved first. One moment a defiant Wynonna’s staring at a broken Nicole, and the next they’re at each other with hard lips and bruising hands.

Their clothes tear more than once, but neither cares. It’s not an act of love, but one of a sinking feeling of desperation. They’d been foolish to start this, to begin thinking that the sort-of friendship they’d formed could carry them into something else.

Nicole isn’t sure who starts crying first or when hands and mouths soften until they’re cradling each other and ignoring their almost-nudity.

The damage feels irreparable. It does.

And yet, Nicole can’t stop.

And neither can Wynonna.


End file.
